Strawberry Gashes
by KenziiTheVulpix
Summary: She is crying out for help but it seems no one can hear her. She feels like the darkness around her is swallowing her whole. Will anyone hear her cry before it's too late? Or will death claim the little rice ball...?
1. Chapter One: Cheese and Crackers

_A/N: So this will be my second actual fanfic story. My first is _**_Sohma Love_**_, so if you have a chance, check it out! This story will be more of a serious one, __though.__This story is rated M for darker themes and lemons in later chapters.__I'm sure some people can guess what this story will involve based on the title of it. For those who can't guess it will involve self mutilation, also known as cutting ones self. __This story will hold a dear place in my heart because I use to cut... I understand the feelings. __I need a way to vent and express myself __and share how I felt during the dark time that I cut. I decided Fruits Basket would be a good fanfic to do that in because __I relate to Tohru in the fact that I worry about others rather than my self, __and I am also a big fan of the anime and manga.__ I __also __wanted to created a story to help others understand those who cut... its not always the same for someone but this story will some what express how I felt... as well as be a fanfic __for enjoyment for readers. Just a quick disclaimer:_

**_IF YOU FEEL LIKE CUTTING PLEASE TELL SOMEONE RIGHT AWAY. I AM NOT __ENCOURAGING __THIS ACTIVITY __AT ALL!_**

**_Also I do not own Fruits Basket, nor do I profit from it_**

_The zodiacs are no longer cursed in this story b__y the way__. I just didn't feel like dealing with it. Also, this is a Haru x Tohru story. __If you do not like the shipping I wouldn't bother reading this. __Please do not flame me for this story. __I do welcome nice review though of any kind (meaning you can tell me I am a horrible writer as long as you do it in a nice way). __I will be changing things up to fit the story. _**_This may contain spoilers to both the anime and manga._****_Reader discretion is advised._**

* * *

**Strawberry Gashes**

"_Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win."_

_- Stephen King_

**Chapter One: Cheese and Crackers**

It was the end of fall and the leaves from the trees around Shigure Sohma's house had blanketed the ground in a way that Tohru Honda admired. The weather was cool but not unbearably so. Fall break was just around the corner and finals were finally behind them. Life was perfect. On the outside at least.

Tohru laid in her soft pink bed, her hair sprawled out like a halo around her. She was so grateful for everything the Sohma's had done for her. She was so happy that their lives had gotten better since the curse. Sure it hadn't even been a full year since the curse was broken but she could tell that their lives were already getting better. Everyone seemed to be much happier; even Akito. Akito seemed to have been lifted of a very heavy burden, she wasn't sickly anymore either.

Everyone was happy. Everyone except Tohru. She was always able to muster up a smile for everyone she looked at; no matter what. Hidden behind the smile was pain. She was crying out for help but no one seemed to hear her. She cut away at her skin in the mists of the night, her red blood often staining her pink sheets. No one ever noticed though. All who saw her thought she was the happiest person in the world.

_They should. I don't deserve anyone's sympathy... people around me die. My dad died. My mom died. I really don't want a Sohma to die. Maybe I should leave. I have caused everyone so many problems for the Sohma's already... they all work so hard to take care of me and defend me. They shouldn't have to! I don't deserve their kindness. I don't des-_

Her thoughts were cut short with an abrupt knocking on her door.

Tohru was thankful that she had not been crying. She hated trying to hide her tears; it took so much energy and she didn't feel like she had it in her today to try and hide them. Tohru slid on her navy blue jacket so no one could see the cuts on her arms. She always wore long sleeves... even in the summer when it was much harder to come up with an excuse. At least now she could say that she was chilly.

Tohru opened her door with a cheery smile. Yuki stood there with his princely smile and Kyo stood there looking as annoyed as ever behind him.

"Tohru, we were wondering if you would like to go out with us. Momiji and Haru will be joining us as well. We thought it would be fun to go out before the weekend was over."

"Sure! Where are we going?" Tohru grinned.

"We'll just be going to the park for a little picnic if that's alright with you."

"Of course! I'll make us some food real quick to take with us." Cooking was one of the few things that Tohru truly found pleasure in. In cooking she could make others smile for a little bit – make their day just a little brighter. It helped her forget her own demons.

"Thank you." Yuki bowed, leaving.

"Yeah... thanks." Kyo grumbled as he left as well. His hair was rather messy so Tohru assumed that he had probably just woken up from a nap.

_Or he doesn't like you anymore... _Said a nagging voice in her brain. Tohru's arms began to itch. Tohru quietly shut her door and slid off her jacket. She reached under her mattress and pulled out the small safety pin she used to pierce her skin so many times before. Inwardly she laughed that it was called a safety pin because she doubted what she was doing with it was very safe.

She took the point of the safety pin and pressed it to her skin. With just a little bit of pressure the sharp tool broke her skin open, causing a bit of blood to come through the hole in her skin. Not releasing the pressure of the tool she began to drag it across the inside of her arm. Blood began to drip from her new cut but she didn't so much as whimper. She enjoyed the sting of the sharp tool in her skin and the pull of her skin as she dragged it across her wrist and arms. It was the only way she could feel anything anymore. Her body always felt numb. She no longer felt true happiness or excitement; she was now beyond sadness. The only way she could feel anything anymore was to have that release of metal piercing her skin and then watch the blood drip from her arm. Most would not be able to handle the pain of the blade but she revealed in it; her secret release. It was the only thing she could really control in her life anymore. She controlled how deep the blade went, how far it went, and how long it stayed. It gave her a sense of control as much as it did anything.

Tohru let herself bleed for a little bit.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

She let the blood run down her arm and onto the sheets where her pillow would lay when she moved it back. She was thankful that she was the one that did laundry. This ensured that there was no risk of anyone seeing her blood stained sheets. Even if they did she could always claim that it was "that time of the month" and that would shut everyone up. At one point she had hoped someone would notice... that someone would notice what she was doing. She wanted Kyo, Yuki, Shigure... _someone_ to notice. To notice she was crying out for help. As time went on and no one even suspected a thing she gave up the hope that anyone would notice. They probably didn't care. If they hadn't noticed by now they never would, and she didn't want them to. She would feel selfish. She did not deserve any sympathy or pity from them.

She watched as the crimson colored liquid just kept dripping out as if it would never stop. Once she had become curious as to what it tasted like. She hated the metallic bitterness of the liquid... just as much as she hated herself. It was fitting she thought.

Tohru wiped the safety pin on her sheets to clean it of her blood and then slid it under her mattress. She used her other to apply pressure to her new cut and waited for the blood to stop oozing out of her. She had grown accustom to this routine. There were some days that she would cut herself so deep that the crimson fluid would cover her arm... and sometimes she thought about letting it pour out of her arm until there was no more left to spill. Something always stopped her though, she wasn't sure what though.

Once the bleeding of her wrist stopped she cleaned herself of all the blood. Her blood. Her filthy blood. Tohru was disgusted with herself. How could someone who did such things like this deserve any sort of happiness? Someone like her.

Tohru shook her head as she slid her jacket back on. She took one last look in the mirror to make herself look presentable. Her brown hair was nice and straight as it hung down to her mid back. She took a moment and adjusted the yellow ribbons that Yuki had given her. She was currently wearing a plain light gray shirt and lose fitting jeans. She zipped her jacket up half way and smoothed it out. She dressed much more casually now, she had grown tired of getting attention from males she did not know. She had grown to hate attention of any kind really. Attention meant risking having her dirty little secret revealed. Everyone didn't seem to find anything weird with her new dress style and she was glad. The more average she seemed the less attention she would get. She was wanting desperately to change her look anyways. She hated her short skirts and revealing outfits. She just wasn't sure what she should start wearing so she stuck to casual wear.

Tohru took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror once more. Her brown eyes appeared happy, carefully hiding her true emotions. She put a smile on her face to complete her look. Smiling had grown into a painful habit. She was always smiling. She hated it.

With one last deep breath she "happily" left her room and went to the kitchen. She began to go through the fridge to see what she should pack.

_Hm... Momiji likes sweet things. Me and Yuki just brought in some strawberries. Those are sweet. I don't really have time to bake a cake for him. I hope he won't be upset. Hm... I'll make us all sandwiches too. I'll make plenty because those boys sure can eat. Let's see... Yuki likes leeks so I'll pack some of those too. We have some left over sushi that Kyo seemed to like so I'll pack that too. I'll put in an ice pack so they stay cold and don't go bad. Let's see... Haru. I don't really know what he likes. I'll some cheese and crackers as a light snack for him to go with the sandwiches. I hope that will be okay._

With her list of things she would need she grabbed a basket to put all the food in. She first made the sandwiches. She made sandwiches specifically for each of them. So that none of the sandwiches got confused with the others she carefully cut the sandwiches in the shape of their former zodiac animals so they would know who got what. She carefully wrapped them in some plastic and put them in the basket. Next she grabbed a bowl and lid and filled it with as many strawberries as it could fit for Momiji. She popped the lid on and carefully placed it beside the sandwiches. Next she packed the sushi, cheese, crackers. She made sure everything was placed in the perfect spot to prevent anything from squished as they walked.

Tohru really did like cooking. She loved making others happy. It was an easy escape, if only for a few moments. If things ever got to unbearable she could always start cooking and "accidentally" cut herself in the process. She did that a lot. Everyone just assumed she was a very clumsy person. If they only knew...

Tohru grabbed the basket of food and went into the living room to find Kyo and Yuki waiting for her.

"I hope I didn't take to long. I just wanted to make sure everyone got something they would like." Tohru said sweetly.

"Oh no, Tohru. We just got ready ourselves as a matter-of-fact." Yuki said with his princely smile. Tohru could understand why he had his own fan club, even if it was a bit creepy. He was a very attractive person.

Kyo grumbled something but Tohru couldn't really hear what he said. As if Yuki was thinking the same thing as she was he whacked the back of Kyo's head. Even with the curse gone they fought like cat and mouse.

_Old habits die hard I guess _Tohru laughed to herself.

"When you speak, make sure others can hear you." Yuki scolded.

"Shut up you stupid mouse! Maybe I didn't want to be heard! Kyo growled.

Despite how hostile the two seemed towards each other, they cared a lot for each other. Tohru knew that because she heard the creaking of them in bed together from time to time. She had heard their moans and occasional sweet words. She wasn't sure they wanted anyone to know though so she always kept her mouth shut about the subject, acting as clueless as ever.

"Will you stop acting like an idiot for once?" Yuki sighed.

"Me? You're the one making a big deal out of nothing!"

"You're the one shouting..."

"Um... please don't fight..." Tohru said meekly.

"I'm sorry Tohru. That was very rude of us. We should be going now anyways. I'm sure Haru and Momiji are waiting for us already." Yuki said with his usual soft, caring voice.

_How can he sound so caring when he talks to me? Does he not see how much of a horrible person I am? Does he not see how unworthy I am of him? _Tohru thought to herself.

"Yuki's right. Sorry, Tohru..." Kyo mumbled.

"It's alright, Kyo! I just don't want the food to go bad before we get to Momiji and Haru." She giggled a bit.

She hated laughing of any kind. It was a struggle. It was always a struggle. It always caused her to silently choke on her own tears that were always threatening to escape her eyes. She would not anyone to see her cry these tears. They were hers and hers alone. This was her burden. Not theirs.

"Right... lets go." Kyo said with a sigh.

Together the three slid on their shoes and began their journey on foot to the park. The two boys walked at either side of her as if they were trying to protect her. Why would they be doing that? Did it even matter? They couldn't protect her from herself so why should they protect her from anything else? Wasn't it kind of pointless; a waste to their energy and time?

Tohru never said anything though, not wanting to offend anyone; nor did she want to risk revealing her secret to them.

Sometimes she wanted to just curl up where she stood. She wanted to disappear and never be found by anyone. That would be so much easier, wouldn't it? Sometimes she didn't feel like living day to day... sometimes the struggle was just too much. No one ever seemed to notice though. They never saw her daily struggle to find the will to keep on living. That was okay though. She didn't deserve to have them notice. Wanting to be the center of attention would be selfish after all, wouldn't it?

The walk there was rather silent and uneventful and Tohru was thankful for that. She wasn't sure how much she could handle today. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff and just the slightest nudge would send her falling face first into an ocean of water that she did not want to hit.

Once they arrived at the park Tohru looked around. Today the park was oddly empty but she saw that as a good thing in all honesty. She truly wasn't in the mood to deal with tons of screaming kids.

Lost in her train of thought she nearly fell over and dropped the food when Momiji nearly tackled her in a hug.

"Tohru!" Momiji said excitedly. "I've missed you!" The former bunny gushed.

_Missed me? Why would you miss a freak like me? There's not much to miss. He's probably just trying to be nice. Momiji always was really sweet._

"Don't kill her, Momiji." Came the former ox's voice.

"Oh! Sorry, Tohru!" Momiji quickly unwrapped himself from her and grabbed the basket from her hands. "C'mon! Over here! Me and Haru brought a blanket because we knew you'd bring us food!" He said, jumping up and down.

_At least I'm good for something. _"Momiji... you might want to be careful. The food might move and get squished." Tohru said nervously.

Haru silently grabbed Momiji's arm, taking the basket of food from him. He then let the former rabbit go so he could keep bouncing.

Momiji was just two months older than Tohru, though he always looked younger than her. He looked younger than everyone. His blond hair was once cute and messy and his big brown eyes added to the cute factor. Now he was much older looking; more mature. His hair was still messy but in a more sexy, appealing way than a cute way. He had grown taller than Tohru who was at a sturdy five feet – but he was still shorter than all the other males. He no longer wore female clothing, instead he wore male clothing which fit his body nicely. He turned quite a few heads now – not that he hadn't before.

"Tohru! Do you wanna go play on the playground?!" Momiji gushed.

He looked much more mature, but he was still a kid at heart. Tohru found it rather sweet.

"Momiji, they just got here. She probably wants to sit down for a little bit." Haru said in a monotone. He didn't wait for an answer as he gently grabbed her Tohru's wrist and pulled her down on the blanket beside him.

Tohru felt her face turn a bright red at his touch. Without thinking, though, she quickly jerked her wrist away. It was like she was afraid that he find out her dirty little secret just by touching her. Haru always made her nervous. In her opinion, he was the most level headed of the Sohma's (Hatori of course was at the top of that list though), except when he went black. He was always very caring of others, though. He never asked for anything in return either. Tohru admired that about him. She also feared him. Every time he looked at her she was sure he saw through her ruse... that he could see what dark secrets she was hiding; it scared her.

Haru was a year older than her but younger than Yuki by a month and younger than Kyo by two months. He was the tallest of the boys though. His white and black hair was still long and fluffy, covering his grayish-brown eyes from time to time. He had a nice body on him as well. His muscles and "bad boy" appearance were enough to make any girl swoon. Only few were brave enough to actually approach him now, however. Ever since the incident in the class room most people steered clear of him. He and Rin never got back together, unfortunately either. They had settled their problems but neither wanted to be the relationship any longer – so they went their separate ways. Rin was now dating Kagura while Haru was still single.

Haru said nothing about her jerking a way from him. He didn't even look at her. He just closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree behind them. She thought she heard him mumble something decided not to pay it any mind.

Soon they were all sitting around the blanket.

"How as your weekend been Tohru?" Momiji asked, still as happy as can be.

"It's been really nice. How about yours, Momiji?" Tohru smiled, her face hurting slightly.

"It's been really fun! Me and Haru fed some of the fish at the main house! And we played some video games as well! It was super fun! You should come over next time! It could be a date!"

"Don't you ever shut up!?" Kyo growled at the hyper Sohma.

"Wah! Kyo's being mean to me!"

Yuki whacked the back of Kyo's head. "Be polite." He scolded.

Momiji snickered. "I know who wears the pants in this relationship."

"What did you say you annoying little pest?" Kyo snarled.

Momiji realized what he said and put a hand over his mouth. "Oops..."

Yuki's face had become bright red.

Haru opened his eyes. "You guys aren't the best at hiding your relationship... how long were you going to keep it a secret anyways?" He raised an eyebrow.

For once, both Kyo and Yuki were at a loss for words.

"All secrets come out eventually." Tohru could have sworn she saw Haru glance at her as he said that but she tried not to dwell on it.

"Just keep your mouths shut okay? I don't want listen to Shigure..." Kyo mumbled.

"Nor do I want to listen to my brother..." Yuki shivered at the thought.

"Your secret is safe with us! Right, Tohru?" Momiji smiled at her.

Tohru blinked. "H-huh? O-oh! Y-yes!" She quickly nodded in agreement.

"I'm not kidding you little midget. You better not say anything." Kyo growled.

"Let's eat." Haru said, changing the topic.

"Okay!" Tohru said, jumping slightly. She was always jumpy around Haru.

Tohru quickly began passing out the food. They all thanked her for the wonderful meal, tell her she didn't need to go to all the trouble to cut their food out into animal shapes for them. Of course, she said it was no problem at all.

Everyone ate. Everyone except Haru and Tohru. Tohru hadn't packed her any food and was too busy thinking to notice Haru not eating. Momiji had finished his food faster than Tohru thought possible and had already ran off to the playground. Kyo and Yuki ate slower but were lost in a conversation with one another. Tohru wasn't paying much attention so she couldn't tell if they were arguing or not. They weren't screaming and yelling so that was all that mattered. Haru had his eyes closed and was leaning against the tree behind them once more. Once Yuki and Kyo had finished their food, both with slightly dreamy eyes, excused themselves and disappeared.

Once they were gone Haru opened his eyes.

"Eat." He commanded, not even looking at Tohru.

She jumped, startled. "W-what? Oh! I'm not hungry! Really. You should eat yours before it goes bad though. Oh, wait... you probably don't like what I packed! I'm sorry! If you tell me what you like I can run back to Shigure's and get you something else! It's really no trouble. I'm sorry f-"

Crunch.

Haru had stuck a cracker with a piece of cheese on it in her mouth. Tohru's eyes grew wide, slightly startled by the act.

"I said eat." He said softly as she swallowed the cracker down.

The cracker and cheese went down her throat painfully. She hated eating. It always hurt... nothing she ate was satisfying to her and she always had a hard time getting it down. It was like the sobs she always chocked back were trying to force themselves up every time she ate.

"I like everything you packed for me... but you didn't pack yourself anything, Tohru. You're thin enough as it is... you need food just as much as I do." He spoke as if he was talking to a lost child.

Tohru gave a slow nod."A-alright." She sliced up the cheese and placed them on crackers for the both of them. Tohru ate a few, her body tensing with every bite. The more she ate the more he ate as well. She knew the game he was playing. If she stopped eating so would he. She suffered through swallowing every bite just so he wouldn't go hungry.

There was a silence between them that seemed to go on for hours. Normally Tohru enjoyed silence but for some reason this one seemed to be clawing at her insides.

Haru suddenly reached over and grabbed something. Tohru tried to lean over to see what it was but Haru already had it at her lips. He was holding a nice plump, red strawberry that Momiji hadn't eaten.

"Eat it." He whispered.

Tohru felt her face heat up. She nervously leaned forward and took the strawberry in her mouth, her lips brushing his fingers as she did. Even her ears were red now. She quickly forced the strawberry down and leaned against the tree, hiding her face from him.

They sat there in silence for a while again, it clawing at Tohru's insides once more.

"All secrets come out eventually." Haru whispered suddenly.

Tohru jumped once more. Almost instinctively she brought her wrists closer to herself.

Haru looked Tohru in the eyes. "I wasn't lying, Tohru. All secrets come out eventually. No matter how dark they are."

Tohru stayed silent, afraid of what she might say if she spoke. Her entire body was trembling. Did he know? Could he possibly know her dirty little secret? How could he though? They only ever saw each other at school and occasionally at the main house or Shigure's. They didn't spend enough time together for him to notice. If Kyo and Yuki didn't notice there was no way he could have. She lived with the cat and mouse and they were not the slightest bit aware of what she did to herself. It was impossible for Haru to know... right?

Haru grabbed her chin with his fingers. His lips were inches from hers, causing her body to tense up even more than it already was.

"People really do care about you, Tohru." He whispered, his lips brushing across hers.

Tohru swallowed nervously, her eyes wide with fear.

"Tohru!" Sang the former rabbits voice.

Haru pulled away just before Momiji appeared.

"Aren't you hot Tohru? It's been getting warmer all day! I'm worried you might have a heat stroke!"

Tohru's brain searched for a response but came up with none.

"She's fine, Momiji. She just wants to rest here for a little bit, alright?" Haru said, coming to her rescue.

Momiji frowned. "Are you okay Tohru? Are you sick? We could take you to Hatori!"

Her heart raced at having to see Hatori. If she saw him her secret would be discovered for sure.

"No. I'm alright, Momiji. Like Haru said, I just need a little rest is all." Tohru smiled at the worried boy.

"Alright..." he said hesitantly. "Let one of us know if you get sick." He said firmly.

"You'll be the first to know." She said with a tiny laugh.

"Yay!" Momiji clapped. "I'll be on the swings if you need me!" And with that he ran off.

"Thank you..." Tohru whispered.

Haru didn't reply. He simply studied her, lost in his own thoughts for a moment. Suddenly, he grabbed the arm that she had just recently cut. Tohru's entire body froze as she watched him. She felt like she was sitting on death row waiting for her turn. Haru met her eyes for a moment and then looked down at her arm as if he could see through the material of the jacket. His lips met her wrist and he began kissing up it, stopping right where her cuts did. He then kissed his way back down and let her arm drop when he was done.

His lips were like fire to her. It was both a good and bad fire. It felt good to have his lips on her – but now she was positive he knew her secret. Who else would he tell? Would he tell Hatori? That would surely get her sent to a loony bin. Then again... maybe that's what she deserved. She wasn't too sure right now. She couldn't think straight with Haru so close to her.

"Everyone is fighting a battle." He whispered, his lips against her ear.

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_A/N: That's chapter one! I am somewhat pleased with it but I feel like it was lacking something. Tell me what you think! Just leave a review and give me your opinion the chapter! Or you can give me a review about anything I guess. I can't control what you type! I'll respond back to everyone that reviews in the next chapter. It's up to you to review though. I would love some feed back on this story though. And if you have any suggestions on what I should do, feel free to tell me! I'm always looking for new ideas! I promise I don't bite! Oh, and sorry if the characters were a bit OOC... but then again this is just a fanfic so I guess its okay. I hope this chapter wasn't too boring though... or too short. Also, the cover photo for this story was a quick painting I did in my art class year. Don't make fun of me please! I thought it was somewhat fitting for this story. If anyone wants to make one feel free... I'm not really good at art..._

_I decided to fix a few things before I post the next chapters. I think I got rid of most of the errors... let me know if you see some I missed! Oh! And I got my cover photo fixed!_


	2. Chapter Two: Know Your Worth

**Strawberry Gashes**

"_Keeping big secrets, particularly secrets about things of one's own doing, is a tough proposition for even very bright people."_

_- Kurt Vonnegut_

**Chapter Two: Know Your Worth**

It was now Wednesday – four days since Tohru had seen Haru. She felt he was avoiding her but she wasn't sure; maybe she was avoiding him. She knew she was feeling hesitant about talking to him again. Not only did he know her secret, they had shared an intimate moment together. She wasn't sure how to feel about any of what was going on. It felt like everything was spiraling out of control and she could just watch as her world fell apart around her. Haru was probably going to tell Yuki what he knew and things would only get worse from there.

She could just imagine Yuki confronting her. She could see it his look of disgust and distaste perfectly in her head. She could hear him telling her how much of a freak she was – how worthless she was. Then the rest of the Sohma's would find out. She would be a disgrace to them and none of them would ever want to see her again. Why should they? She had already severed her purpose; she helped break the curse. She wasn't sure how but she did but she had. With the curse gone she was just a burden to them all, especially Hiro. Hiro could see right through her and would honestly tell her how stupid she was. Age had only caused him to become more blunt towards her.

_Kisa should spend more time with Hiro instead of me... I don't deserve the title "Onne-San." _Tohru thought to herself as she walked through the empty hallways.

She felt she deserved Hiro's cruel words towards her. She had helped Kisa during a hard time in her school life; she had given the poor girl advice. What right did she have to give anyone advice when she couldn't even help herself? On some subconscious level, maybe Hiro knew what a freak she was and wanted to lash out on her because of it.

_All secrets come out eventually... _Haru's words kept echoing in her head. Was he trying to warn her that he was telling the others? Why would he bother to warn her?

_Maybe so I would have the chance to leave and not have to face them..._She thought sadly.

Smack.

Tohru suddenly fell on the ground, all of her school things falling around her. She winced slightly, a slight pain going through her butt from landing on the hard tile floor.

"S-sorry!" She quickly stuttered, scurrying around for her things.

A small hand rested on her shoulder. Tohru froze at the touch and looked up to see who she had actually ran into.

Standing above her was a girl slightly taller than herself with a gentle smile on her lips. Her silky blond hair was pulled back into a pony tail, though her bangs and few strands of hair that framed her thin face. The girl had fair skin and sparkling blue eyes. She wore the schools regular uniform, unlike Tohru who had gotten permission to start wearing pants instead of the traditional mini skirt.

"You're Tohru right?" The girl spoke in Japanese but she had an Australian accent. Tohru knew right away this was the newest student to their school. She had never met her in person but she had been told the girl moved here from Australia.

"Y-yes... I'm really sorry about running into you! I should pay more attention to where I am going." Tohru quickly stood and bowed in apology.

"It's alright." The girl grinned. "I'm Luna." She stuck out her hand and Tohru shook it, though a bit nervously. "I guess I'm not entirely use to Japanese culture, eh? I do think my speaking is quite good though! What do you think?"

Tohru blushed slightly at having been put on the spot like this. "I think your speaking is great!" She said quickly. She wasn't lying either; if it hadn't been for the accent you might have thought she had been born here.

"Thanks." Luna knelt down on the ground beside her and started helping Tohru pick up her things. "You're really pretty, ya know. Sort of like Holo the Wise Wolf from _Spice & Wolf_." She giggled.

Tohru felt heat rush to her face as her body became completely still. This girl... this girl she barely knew was complementing her... but why? Tohru was not use to such complements; especially not from a complete stranger. There were too many emotions going through her heart and head; some were unknown to her while others had been dormant for so long she no longer knew how to handle them. Luna happened to notice her shocked look and frowned.

"Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!" Luna said quickly, worry clear on her face. Luna quickly gathered Tohru's things together and handed them to the still frozen Tohru. She straightened herself up and dusted of her skirt. She offered a hand to Tohru. It took her a moment to realize what Luna was doing but it registered in her head and she nervously accepted her hand, pulling herself off the floor with her things.

Tohru finally came back to reality and realized she had upset the girl in front of her. "No, no, no! You did not offend me at all! I-I'm sorry." Tohru bowed in apology once more.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay! I'm not offended or anything. I promise!" Luna laughed softly.

Tohru gave a short nod and stared at her feet as if she was ashamed of something.

"You have low self-esteem." Luna blurted out.

Tohru jumped at the comment; she looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Sorry! I just meant... I can just tell. People who keep their heads down like you do aren't very confident... if you were to hold your head high I would say you were a proud and happy person." Luna nervously swallowed, realizing how bad this was all sounding. "I don't mean to make this all sound so negative..." Luna bit her lower lip in thought. "Both have pros and cons... I was just making an observation is all. Everyone has some kind of battle they're fighting. Yours might just be a bit bigger than others." She gave a small smile. "That's okay though! I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually." Luna's eyes seemed to look behind Tohru for a moment before a flicker of happiness flashed through them. "It looks like your boyfriend wants you. It was nice talking to you Tohru!" Luna grinned, skipping away.

Tohru did not feel the presence behind her and was confused at Luna's comment. Boyfriend? She didn't have a boyfriend! No one would ever date a loser such as herself; she didn't even deserve the affection a boyfriend would normally give the one he loved. Tohru frowned slightly as she tried to figure out what Luna had been talking about as she turned around.

Smack.

Once again she ran into someone – someone much harder than Luna – and fell to the ground. Her stuff flew everywhere and she was scurrying for stuff once again as she apologized over and over again, still not looking up.

A strong hand gently touched her lips with a single finger. Tohru froze and looked up to see who she had ran into. She froze when she saw the former ox, her ears turning red with embarrassment. He was kneeling down beside her with a tiny smile – almost a smirk – on his face.

"Luna did have a point you know. You should hold your head up more or people will start to worry about you." He said softly.

She just stared at him, not noticing how her body shook slightly.

Haru gave a light chuckle and picked her things up for her but did not give them back to her as she stood. "It will also help prevent you from running into someone every time you take a step." He teased.

"Haru..." Tohru whispered. "May I please have my things back?"

"No." He shrugged as he began walking away.

_Why would Luna think he was my boyfriend? I'm not good enough for him, nor am I his type. He deserves someone that is fun and loving... someone who can give him the love he deserves and not just wallow in self pity... _Tohru thought to herself as she followed him.

"W-where are you going? I-I need my stuff..." She said, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"_We're _going to my house." He shot her a grin.

Tohru stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't go to his house – it would be wrong! There was still that tiny voice in her head that insisted that he didn't know what she did to herself... and she was not willing to give that up. If she went to his house there would be no chance of hiding her secret. She couldn't risk giving up that last tiny piece of hope. Not only would she be giving up her last tiny bit of hope, she would also be skipping school. She may look down upon herself but she still didn't want to break a rule as big as skipping school. She was sure Haru had done it many times before – especially when he went black – so it was probably no big deal to him.

"Haru!" She called out, trying to protest. He simply ignored her and kept walking as if he was expecting her to follow.

"Haru! Stop! We... we c-can't just leave school. It's wrong!" Tohru squeaked.

He stopped dead in his tracks and walked back over to her, his eyes completely serious. He lifted the arm she cut herself on and stared at it. Tohru's entire body became stiff as she watched him; she felt like a statue. After a few tense moments he met her eyes.

"So are others things but you don't stop." He whispered.

Her eyes grew wide and she tried to jerk her arm away but his grip only tightened. She felt like her chest was growing heavy and she could barely breathe. She needed to get away from him. Now. She began trying to tug her wrist away but he held her there, not allowing her to look away from him.

"Hatsuharu..." She whispered. "I need to get back to class. Arisa and Saki will worry and come looking for me if I do not return soon."

Haru had already let her go the moment she spoke his full name, his eyes slightly shocked. Tohru quickly moved her arm closer to her so he could not grab it again.

Before Tohru could react though he tossed her school books to the ground and let her papers go flying through the hallway. He quickly grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the wall. His grip was so tight on her that she was sure she was going to have a light bruise. His eyes had darkened slightly and Tohru realized that he had was now black Haru.

A wicked grin formed on his lips as he looked her up and down. "Mm, say it again." He whispered, his lips brushing against her neck.

Tohru stiffened but couldn't help but shiver in pleasure at the touch. "S-say what?" she asked, her voice small.

"Say my name, damn it! Say it!" He growled, he lips inches from hers.

"H-haru..." She whimpered.

"Wrong! Say my actual name you idiot!" His grip became tighter on her bony wrists.

"H-hatsuharu..." she whispered as she looked down at the ground.

Haru's let out a tiny moan. "Just hearing you say it is turn on, rice ball." He pressed his body against hers and Tohru could feel a slight bulge being pressed against her.

Tohru swallowed back a whimper and began to attempt to squirm her way free of his grip. This only made him growl at her.

"There's no reason to be afraid, Tohru." He nibbled on her earlobe, sending unknown pleasure through her nerves. "I never did show you how I proved my natural hair color, did I?" He smirked.

Tohru just stared at him wide eyed, not replying.

"Hmph. Would you like to find out?" He didn't wait for an answer. He yanked on of her hands down and slid it down his well built chest and to his pants.

Tohru saw where this was going and quickly jerked her hand away. "Haru! S-stop!" Panic was clear in her voice.

"Stop? I thought we already discussed stopping, no? And do you really want me to stop?" He kissed her neck. The act sent a shiver up her spine and caused her lips to part slightly. "Are you saying you don't enjoy this?" His breath tickled her neck.

"Haru... please. I don't like this." She whimpered. This wasn't a complete lie – she was very uncomfortable even if she did enjoy his little touches.

"Liar." He hissed. "I can see the pleasure in your eyes you naughty girl." He snickered.

"Please..." she begged. "I don't want this."

"C'mon hot stuff." He yanked her hand back to his chest. "Feel. Tell me you don't like it," he moved his lips so they brushed against her ear, "Tohru."

Her hand was trembling as a shiver ran up her spine. She wanted to feel his muscles rippling under her touch – really she did! The loudest part of her mind was screaming that she didn't deserve any kind of affection from him; that she was too much of a freak to deserve it. Another part told her that it was just wrong to be doing this; especially here of all places.

"Hatsuharu." She attempted to keep her voice firm but you could hear the wavering fear.

His hand suddenly loosened around her wrists. He blinked a few times and his eyes were no longer as dark as they were and his wicked grin was gone. He quickly removed his hands from her and brought them back to himself, one hand in his pocket. He blushed a bright red and rubbed the back of his head with his other hand.

"Sorry about that Tohru." He gave a shy smile.

"Oh, no. I'm the one who should be sorry! I must have done something to trigger your black side. I'm really sorry! I know you can't really control it. I'll try not to make things harder for you in the future." She bowed in apology.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Tohru. Relax, alright?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

She gave him a tiny smile. "O-okay."

She was about to excuse herself to the bathroom (her arms were beginning to itch) when he suddenly pulled her into a hug. She blinked in surprise, her hands resting on his chest. Haru breathed in her scent and smiled, closing his eyes in content. Tohru could bring herself to relax. She wasn't sure why being around him put her on edge but it always did. The voices in her head would begin a screaming match; some told her he only pitied her and the other said she was taking advantage of the former ox. Either way, she always felt bad.

"Well... the Australian chick wasn't lying!"

Tohru jumped, realizing who the voice belonged to but Haru didn't let go.

"Yes, Arisa. He does appear to be acting as if he is her boyfriend." Said another slightly amused voice.

Haru spun her around so her back was against his chest and his arms were around his waist. He rested his head on the top of her head and merely smiled at Tohru's friends Arisa and Saki. Tohru was completely still, her entire face as red as a tomato.

"That Australian chick – Loony, Luna, or whatever – came back to class going on about how she ran into the sweetest girl. We asked her and she said it was you... and you had been gone a while but she said your boyfriend showed up." Arisa snickered.

"Yes, so we decided to check it out." Saki said with a slightly amused smile.

"Why didn't you tell us you had a boyfriend, Tohru? Haru at that! Yuki and Kyo are gonna lose it!"

"W-what? I-I don't... I..." Tohru began stumbling over her words, becoming more and more flustered my the minute.

"I'm not her boyfriend." Haru chuckled.

"I know." Saki said. "I can tell by your waves..."

Haru nervously rubbed the back of his head. Saki managed to make all of the Sohma's nervous somehow; especially Hiro and Momiji.

"We're not hear to scare him, Saki!" Arisa laughed.

Saki merely shrugged. "I must look out for our little Tohru!"

"She is growing up rather fast." Arisa nodded.

Arisa and Saki continued to coo about how their "little Tohru" was getting older as Tohru began drift into thought. The two girls in front of her were her best friends. They had been friends for a long time and Tohru wasn't sure where she would be without them, but where were they when she began to slice at her skin. Why did they not notice how she always hid the skin on her arms? Not even Saki and her "waves" picked up on it.

_Maybe they did... maybe the waves did pick up on it but she ignored them. I would deserve it; I'm just a waste of space and Saki knows it too... doesn't she? I deserve worse than what I do to myself. If the two people that are suppose to care about me the most never notice why should I keep on living? Why should I struggle ever day? What's there to struggle for? I'm losing my best friends... I lost my mom... and my dad. I... I should stay though. Just for my grandfather, but what if I'm just a burden to him as well? He is always having to check on me to make sure I'm doing well... he's probably sick of it by now and wishes I was out of his life. Why can't I be more like... like Yuki or someone? Everyone loves him and everyone loves to have him around. He's not a waste of space! Or like Kyo! Sure he hates all the attention but people still adore him. Haru and Momiji as well! They are all so loved and looked up to... why can't I be like them? I'm so stupid... _Without realizing it, she was starting to claw at her arms with her fingernails. This went unnoticed by Arisa and Saki who were still absorbed in their conversation about how grown up she was becoming – but it did not go unnoticed by Haru.

He jerked her hand away from her arm and Tohru looked up at him wide eyed. He had a firm look of disapproval on his face and it made her want to squirm.

"I'm taking Tohru home with me." Haru announced.

Saki and Arisa looked at him.

"What?" Arisa exclaimed. "Tohru can't just ditch school! It's not in her nature to do something so bad. You're going to spoil her innocence."

Tohru could feel him taking deep breaths. She knew he was trying to stay calm so he black side wouldn't get out; they both knew if it did that neither Arisa nor Saki would ever let him near her again.

"Arisa... I think... I think they need to do this." Saki said, studying the two of them.

"What! Are you crazy Saki? If it was one of us or just him I wouldn't care. We can handle the punishment for ditching school. Tohru has never done anything bad in her life. She wouldn't be able to handle getting into so much trouble all at once. Not only that but the Prince and Kyo will find out too and she's going to get a long lecture from them as well."

"This is something they _must _do, Arisa. Their waves are odd and I feel the only way to fix them is by letting them go. I fear if they do not go grave things will happen that we may all regret. We will just have to cover for them and make sure we get our point across to Yuki and Kyo so they will not give her a hard time. Our little Tohru is growing up indeed..." Saki said thoughtfully. "And apart of growing up is making mistakes, is it not?" She looked at Arisa.

Arisa sighed. "Fine... you, your freaky waves, and wise words have a point." Arisa looked at Tohru. "We'll cover for you, alright? And we'll let the Prince and Kyo know where you went so the two don't have a heart attack. You know how the boys worry about you. Don't worry though. We won't let them harass you or anything."

"Yes, you need not worry Tohru. We will handle everything." Saki smiled.

Arisa looked at Haru next. "And you. You better watch out for her. We're trusting you with our little Tohru so you better not let a hair on her head get harmed, got it? Otherwise you'll answer to us."

Tohru could feel Haru tense. Surely her friends didn't intimidate him _that _much. He was never afraid of either of them in the past, he was always a bit nervous around Saki but never afraid. What was going through the former ox's head? Was he fighting off his black side again? Why would he have to fight off his black side now, had something been said to make him start to turn black? Tohru came up with no answers and was left with only worry.

"She will be fine." Haru said, shrugging slightly. He tried to hide his anger but Tohru could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to control his temper. She decided maybe it was just because of what had happened earlier... maybe he was still pumped up from going black just a few moments ago. It made sense, but if that was true she needed to get him out of there now.

"Haru is right. I'll be fine." Haru freed her from his grip as she began to pull away to hug her friends. She could feel his eyes watching her every move and it bothered her. Why was he watching her so closely? Was he waiting for her to just break down and tell her friends what had happened between them just moments before they arrived. He couldn't seriously think she would do that, could he? He had gone black and knew he had not meant to do things he did – she understood that! There was no reason for her to be upset about it. Didn't he trust her?

_I don't deserve his trust anyways. I would mess it up somehow, wouldn't I? I doubt I even hold the slightest bit of worth to him... _For some reason her last thought bothered her. Why did she care if she held any worth to Haru? It didn't bother her this much when she thought about how she hold worth to anyone else, so why did it eat at her brain with him? Why was he causing her to feel so confused? She was usually good about keeping a level head with her emotions – which she easily tucked away and hid from others – but Haru made her feel things she had no experience with and had no clue what she was feeling; this caused her to hate these feelings she did not understand. This feeling was also was what was making her want to call Haru Hatsuharu – it just sound so much better than Haru. She didn't dislike his nickname but she preferred his full name. Deep down, somewhere in the back of her mind and heart, she knew what these feelings were but she would never admit them... not even to herself.

"Alright... call us if you get into any sort of trouble, alright?" Arisa said firmly.

Tohru gave a struggled smile (not that the two girls noticed) and nodded. "O-of course!"

Arisa and Saki hugged her tightly, crushing her ribs slightly. Tohru was use to their strong hugs though and didn't so much as flinch, instead she hugged them both back but not nearly as tight.

Haru cleared his throat, growing slightly impatient. "We should go now before we all get caught." He said with his usual calm voice.

Arisa and Saki let Tohru go and Arisa patted her head. "Just remember what we told you, alright?"

Tohru nodded. For some reason all of this was making her arms itch even more.

"Be safe, Tohru." Saki smiled.

"I will." Tohru said firmly.

The two girls smiled at her and then walked away, going back to class.

Haru let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Alright, lets go." He began walking.

"Hatsuharu... we can't leave yet." She said meekly.

"Why?" He turned and looked at her.

"I need to pick up my things first... I'm sorry." She bowed.

Haru blinked, having forgotten all about knocking her things out of her hands. His eyes softened and he knelt down on the ground and began picking up her things before she could. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I was the one who knocked your books from your hands."

Tohru got on the ground beside him and helped him pick up her things. "You had gone black, its alright. I'm not upset or anything. It's just apart of who you are." She smiled. "Mom always said that you have to accept people for who they are, all their faults included. I don't see your black side as a fault though... its just you..." She smiled. For some reason she felt she could truly smile when she was talking to him. She wasn't sure why she could but it just felt right.

Haru blinked a few times and studied her carefully. He seemed to be seriously thinking about something but Tohru wasn't sure what about. She was thinking about a few things herself. Why was he always watching her and studying her? Why did he make her feel things others never did? Why could she smile without a struggle when talking to him? What was it that made him so different than everyone else?

Haru smiled after a moment and finished picking up her things. Without saying a word he took the things she was holding and stood. "Alright, c'mon. No more stalling. You are coming with me whether you like it or not." He said in a teasing manor.

Tohru stood. She opened her mouth to protest, wanting him to know she wasn't trying to stall and could carry her own things but Haru interrupted her by putting a finger over her lips.

"Hush." He said firmly. "I was only teasing and you aren't carrying your things. I have them and its fine."

Tohru felt her face become red. How did he always know what she was thinking?

"Now lets go." He turned and began walking.

Tohru quickly followed behind him, feeling a bit nervous. "Are... are you sure this is okay? Won't we get caught?"

"No." He shrugged. "They don't really pay much attention... and even if we did you're with me. I'm a Sohma so everyone here thinks of me as a prince." He said the last part like he hated it. "They 'admire' me or some bullshit."

"Isn't it nice having people look up to you though? Don't you like it that people like you and care about you." Tohru asked, a bit confused. Why did he hate the attention he got from the students here? Shouldn't he be enjoying their love?

Haru grunted as he thought about the best way to answer her question. He knew he would have to chose his words carefully or she might become upset. He blew some hair from his face as they walked out of the school and onto the sidewalk.

"They don't actually care. Not really. They look at me and see that I am attractive, just like every other Sohma. Thanks to the curse we have an unnatural beauty. It's something 'normal' people aren't use to. Its the same beauty that got Kisa bullied. Everyone reacts to it differently. Here people admire it and obsess over it. They are only interested in my looks – nothing else. Thanks to my black side most of them fear me more than admire anyways... especially since I trashed that classroom last year. So while they 'admire' my 'beauty' they mostly fear me so I never actually get any trouble from anyone. I guess that is an upside... but they don't truly care for me; nor do they truly care for Kyo or Yuki. They love who they _think _we are... what they _want _us to be. None of them actually bother to look deeper and get to truly know us. They just assume they already know everything. It's basically like reading a book by its cover." Haru realized he was rambling slightly and decided to stop there. Tohru always seemed to make him stumble over words and make it harder to think with a clear head. He knew why and he wasn't afraid to admit to himself, but he knew better than to ever say the words out loud.

Tohru looked at him, blinking back tears. "I... I didn't know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made assumptions." _I'm no better than any of he other students am I? I just jumped to conclusions about his life and didn't even take in to consideration that it might be different than it appears. _Her arms were starting to itch once more. Once more, without realizing it, she began to claw at her arms. She _needed _to feel herself bleed... she need the pain. She had to remind herself of her place, that she was nothing to anyone.

She suddenly felt strong hands grip her hand, stopping it from clawing at her arm. She looked up at him and found Haru looking straight ahead, his expression unreadable. He had pulled her slightly closer to his side and tightly held her hand in his own. He never once stopped walking though. Tohru began to get an odd sensation in her stomach, one she had never felt before. Whatever it was it had been triggered by him holding her hand. She liked the feeling to a certain point but it was to new to her and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

"Tohru..." His voice was soft and reassuring. "It's alright. Assumptions aren't _always_ bad... and you aren't like those other people, ya know. You've actually taken the time to get to know each and everyone of us. You've always seen us as good people... you've accepted us when we were cursed. Tohru you've done so much for us that making tiny assumptions like that really isn't a big deal. Alright?"

"Oh no, I haven't done much of anything. I've been more trouble than help actually." Tohru said shaking her head.

Haru sighed and shook his head. "Don't doubt your worth."

"H-huh? W-what are you talking about?" She asked nervously.

"Tohru... you mean more to us – to me – than you realize." He whispered.

"W-what do you mean?" She asked, a bit shocked by what he said. She couldn't mean anything to him could she? She was so plain and ordinary – not to mention a waste of space.

Haru blushed as he realized what he had said. "You mean a lot to all of us Tohru. You always seem to think you aren't important to us, but you are. You saved us all from darkness and showed us that we weren't freaks like we had been told. You showed us the light when there was none. Without you Tohru... without you we wouldn't be like we were today. Our lives have gotten better and the curse has been broken. You've shown us that we can still love and be loved. It's all thanks to you." He smiled, his face turning a bit redder. _You've shown me love... love I thought I could never have. You gave me love that not even Rin could give me... I wish you could just realize how much I care for you. I want to save you from the darkness just like you saved me._

"Has-" He cut her off.

"No. Do _not _try to brush off what I just said." He looked at her, his eyes completely serious.

She nodded. "O-okay."

He relaxed, glad that she wasn't trying to argue with what he had said. He knew that she harming herself and it killed him inside. It made him beyond sad to know that the girl who had done so much for them was still being swallowed by her own darkness. What made it worse was that no one seemed to notice! It made him so angry! Not even her two "best friends" – Arisa and Saki – noticed what she did to herself. He hated hearing them talk about how much they cared about her and wanted her safe when they didn't see her obvious cries for help! He knew that the type of pain Tohru was feeling was foreign to most, especially the way she was dealing with it, but understood the pain all to well. He knew that it was very rare that anyone would notice. It was like people turned a blind eye without realizing it, not wanting to face the horror of what was going on. He didn't turn a blind eye to Tohru though, he refused to let her suffer in silence like he had. He knew he should have done more before now to try and stop her but he thought that maybe she would stop if she was given time – but she didn't. He hated that he had let things get this far without trying to do a thing about it. He would take a stand now though. He would make it up to her... somehow.

Haru looked around and realized they were getting closer to the main house. He glanced down at Tohru and smiled. She seemed to be thinking hard about something. He always wondered what went through that head of hers. Maybe one day he could get her to open up. She was so beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to make her smile and laugh. When she had given him that true smile he thought his heart would burst. When she had said his full name it did things to him he couldn't even explain.

That was why he turned black. He wasn't lying when he said it turned him on – it turned him on more than he could even describe. Haru hated his full name. He _hated _it. But... when it came from her sweet lips it sounded like honey. He wanted her to keep saying it and never stop... he wanted to hear her _scream _it in ecstasy. Haru quickly shook the thoughts away. He couldn't be thinking about her like that – especially right now. It was just plain wrong. He sighed.

They walked in silence the rest of the way, both lost in their thoughts until they reached his house. Once there, Haru opened the door for her, loving how she blushed at his action. When she was in the house he carefully shut the door and set her school books on a table.

Tohru was looking around his house, admiring it. It was rather simple but still homey. His home wasn't like the traditional Japanese homes but was more modern instead. He had medium sized TV facing a dark blue couch with an oak wood table between them. Off to the side there was a matching loveseat and a doorway a little farther back that led to the kitchen. In another corner there was a closed door that she assumed was his bedroom. The walls were simple like the one's in Shigure's house but they were a bit darker in color. She hadn't expected his home to be like this... though she wasn't sure what she was expecting at all.

"Take off you jacket." He said softly.

Tohru froze. Her jacket? She couldn't possibly take off her jacket could she? But... didn't he already know about her secret? He had never came right out and said it but he had made it clear that he knew. There was still always that chance that he was just guessing and didn't really know, right? No. She couldn't take off her jacket.

"Tohru... you're safe here." He gently rested her hand on his shoulder. "Trust me." He whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.

Tohru couldn't help but shiver at the contact. Why did he make her feel this way? Tohru let out a nervous breath and slowly slid off her jacket.

* * *

_A/N: Hey! So I feel like this chapter kind of dragged on a little. I hope its not _too _boring for you guys! Things will start moving faster soon, I promise. I don't believe in rushing head first into things. You have to build things (such as relationships) up, right? Anyways... tell me what you thing guys and gals! I would love some feed back! What do you think/want to happen next? Don't forget! All reviews will be answered in the next chapter! So please review!_

_Oh! And my updates may become slow. I have the ACT coming up soon and bunch of other stuff. I hope people will still keep reading! And for those who may be reading my story _**Sohma Love**_, I will update! I've just got a lot on my plate! Please be patient!_


	3. Chapter Three: I'm Sorry

**Strawberry Gashes**

"_Sometimes letting the truth out lets people heal, and sometimes it makes things worse. And you couldn't really know which, until you did it, and sometimes only later."_

_- Sara J. Henry_

**Chapter Three: I'm Sorry**

_"Take off you jacket." He said softly._

_Tohru froze. Her jacket? She couldn't possibly take off her jacket could she? But... didn't he already know about her secret? He had never came right out and said it but he had made it clear that he knew. There was still always that chance that he was just guessing and didn't really know, right? No. She couldn't take off her jacket._

_"Tohru... you're safe here." He gently rested her hand on his shoulder. "Trust me." He whispered, his lips brushing against her ear._

_Tohru couldn't help but shiver at the contact. Why did he make her feel this way? Tohru let out a nervous breath and slowly slid off her jacket._

* * *

Once the jacket was off Haru took it from her and hung it on a nearby coat rack. Tohru crossed her arms under her chest, hiding her cuts from his eyes. Haru didn't say anything, nor did he look at her. He was oddly calm in a situation that Tohru thought was tense. She watched as he walked away into the doorway. She awkwardly stood in his living room, almost like she was afraid to sit down. She moved her weight from one foot to the other as she waited for what seemed like an eternity. Haru eventually returned though holding two cups of hot tea in his hands.

"I hope you like mint tea with a bit of honey. It's suppose to be calming." He said softly as he held the tea out for her.

Tohru stared at the tea as if he was handing her poison. Grabbing the tea would be extending her arm and revealing her cuts. She had them on both arms but her most recent ones had been done her right arms – which was her dominate arm. Part of her felt like she was being silly and childish and the another part of her was thinking that this could all go down hill quickly.

She shakily extended her arm. Her arm was covered in old scars, new scars, and new cuts that were now healing. The new cuts were scabbing over and would soon become apart of the rest of her scar collection. Among the cuts were a few words as well and the scars made it possible to tell she had cut much deeper for the words than she had the other cuts; it was almost like she had wanted the words to stay as a reminder to herself. Her arm was like a work of art. Each cut and scar had a different depth to them and each cut went in a different direction, each a slightly different shape. Her arms told a story that only she knew – sort of like a painting. There were a few slightly raised marks on running down her arm from where she had been clawing at her arm that added to the beauty.

Haru didn't look at her arms though, he only watched her eyes. Tohru kept her gaze firmly on the ground, focusing on not spilling the tea.

"Tohru..." He lifted her chin so she had no other choice but to look at him. "Relax, alright? I told you, you're safe here."

Tohru searched his eyes, looking for a sign as to what he was thinking... but she found no such thing. It was beginning to eat away at her. Did he not notice her arms? Did he not see how gross they were? Maybe he did but he was too disgusted to say anything to her. Tohru didn't want to admit it but she had been hoping that maybe he would notice... maybe he would care. He hadn't noticed though. He wasn't doing anything. No body did anything. _No body _cared. She looked at the ground, wishing she hadn't hoped for so much. It was so selfish of a nobody like her to hope someone would notice her cries... but she was only human. No matter how much someone tries to deny it, everyone wants someone to accept them – to _need _them.

Haru frowned suddenly. He took her tea from her and set both of theirs down on the table. He gently tugged on her arm so she was sitting beside him on the loveseat.

Tohru avoided his eyes, not wanting to see his distaste for her. "I should get going... I have a lot of house work I need to catch up on anyways..." She began to stand.

Haru firmly grabbed her arm, not allowing her to go anywhere. "You aren't leaving."

Tohru bit her lip in hesitation. She really wanted to be alone right now in her room to alleviate the itch of her arms. On the other hand she did not want to bring out black Haru by arguing with him. "A-alright..." She sat back in her seat but did not relax.

"Are you hungry, Tohru?" He tilted his head so it was below hers, his gorgeous eyes staring into hers.

Tohru really studied his eyes, her mouth forming a slight "o" as she became mesmerized by how beautiful they were. Depending on the lighting they sometimes appeared to have more brown and other times they appeared to have more gray. When he went black they would always become slightly darker, the two colors blending together as if they were a well mixed coffee. On normal days, days like this, his eyes seemed to be swirls of brown and gray, each color equally shown. She had always loved the odd color of his eyes. Sure Kyo had pretty orange eyes that looked gold in the sunlight and Yuki had unusual purple eyes that were always kind towards her... Haru's grayish-brown eyes always seemed to take her heart for a spin that others couldn't.

She slowly came back to reality and nearly fell backwards when she saw how close their lips were. Had she moved even a centimeter they would have touched. Haru seemed like he had dazed off as well and blushed when he realized how close he had moved to her. He moved back, leaning against the couch.

"Sorry." He mumbled almost so softly she couldn't hear it.

"It's alright." Her face was as redder than a tomato.

Haru studied her for a moment. Tohru became even redder than he had thought possible. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking when he looked at her. Was it good? Bad? It was most likely bad, but she was still curious.

Without warning he suddenly grabbed her chin with his index finger and thumb. He sat up once more and moved so that his leg was pressing against hers. Tohru froze as her heart starting pounding so fast she thought it might burst out of her chest. Haru studied her eyes closely and cupped her face in his strong, slightly calloused hands.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

Tohru mentally cursed at her heart. She was sure it was so loud he could hear it. Her thoughts had frozen and all she could think about was him. All that went through her mind was the feeling she got when he touched her... it was like the rest of the world no longer existed. It was just him and her. Tohru and Hatsuharu. Without realizing what she was doing, her lips parted slightly. That was all he needed.

Haru leaned in and tilted his head, causing Tohru to subconsciously mimic his actions until their lips met. It started as a gentle kiss, both of them trying to figure out what was going on exactly. This wasn't Tohru's first time kissing someone, nor was it Haru's. Still, neither was sure what to do exactly.

Tohru had never felt these kinds of sparks and butterflies when she had kissed Kyo. She had felt something but it didn't even hold a candle to this. Haru was also experiencing some new feelings of his own. When he and Rin kissed there was always passion – always. It was always more of a lust than an actual feeling of love for the other.

Before either of them realized it they had opened their mouths and were now _truly_ kissing. Tohru had never kissed like this before with anyone, not even Kyo. Haru had but only a few times with Rin. Tohru's arms instinctively went around his neck as he pressed his lips a bit harder against hers. She was a bit sloppy with the kiss, due to lack of experience, but Haru didn't mind. All it meant was she was still very innocent and he felt a sense of pride at being able to teach her this – hopefully he would teach her more in the future. He moved his hands to hold her waist and carefully pulled the small girl into his lap. His tongue licked her lower lip, causing a tiny moan to escape her naive lips. It was like music to his ears – he wanted to her it again but only louder.

He kissed her with a fierce hunger, causing her to suck in sharp breath through her nose as the pace of the kiss changed. His hands knotted in her shirt as he fought off his black side that was dying to come out. When her hands knotted in his hair near the base of his neck, he nearly lost it. He reluctantly pulled away, both of their lips a tiny bit swollen.

Tohru was breathless and in shock. She, Honda Tohru, has just kissed Sohma Hatsuharu. She wasn't sure who had actually started the kiss but she knew he ended it. While they were kissing she felt that all of her troubles had just melted away. It was the first time in a long time that she had felt true bliss. Was that okay though? Did Haru regret kissing her?

_Oh no... he probably does. He probably hates me now and thinks I'm repulsive. He's going to ask me to leave... and then he will never want to see me again. _Tohru thought she was going to cry, but her brain kept thinking. _I kissed him back though. I _kissed _him. I actually kissed him! It was amazing and much more exciting than the little "kiss" that me and Kyo had shared... why did I like this kiss? Aren't all kisses just kisses? I... I wonder how he felt about it... How do _I _feel about it? _This part of her brain was more accepting and curious than the pessimist side of her brain that normally won her mental arguments. It was a side of her brain that she rarely saw. _I'm... I'm also in his lap. It's so warm... I... I want to curl up and be held..._

As if Haru had heard the last part of her thoughts he leaned against the couch, relaxing. He slid so he was laying down and adjust her so she was curled up onto his chest. Tohru turned bright red as he adjusted her, realizing how silly she must have looked – also embarrassed by this entire situation.

Tohru wondered if she should say something. What should she say though? She was sure she would mess something up if she opened her mouth so she just kept it closed. The silence lasted for what seemed like hours to Tohru, though it was only a mere two minutes. She just couldn't stop the two parts of her brain from racing on. She needed him to break the silence, to stop her brain from eating away at her heart.

"Tohru-" He began.

She burst out into sobs before she could stop herself. It wasn't a pretty sight either, not like how movies made it appeared. Her tears fell fast down her face and nose and her eyes became puffy and red. Snot was starting to come out of her red nose. She was a complete mess.

Haru's eyes grew wide and he quickly sat up so that he was cradling her in his arms like she was a baby. "Tohru..." He whispered, his voice soothing, "Tohru, don't cry baby. Don't cry. It's okay... everything is okay." His heart was beating even faster than hers did during the kiss. Black Haru was now officially gone at the moment. All that mattered was making sure Tohru was okay. Was she crying from the kiss? Did he go to far with her? She had been kissing back! She even let out that beautiful moan! Maybe he had misread the signs... now she was going to hate him.

"I-I'm s-s-s-sorry... I... you... my fault... s-so s-sorry." She couldn't manage to get out a single word, her brain was too scattered.

Haru blinked, holding her tighter. _She thinks __she has done something wrong. Tohru..._ He thought to himself sadly. _She makes me so sa__d sometimes... What does she think she could have possibly done wrong now? _

"I... you... sorry..." Her sobs grew harder and louder. The snot and puffiness became even worse.

Haru, frowned, his heartbreaking at the sight of seeing her in such a miserable state. He began to whisper sweet nothings in her ear and then gently laid her on the couch as he stood. "I'll be right back. I need to go get a few things, alright?"

Tohru could only nod, her entire body trembling. Haru reached over and moved some hair from her face before leaving.

He knew he had to be quick. Knowing Tohru she would end up thinking she was being a burden and try to leave before he could stop her. He went to his room and dug through his closet, looking for a good blanket to give her. He had plenty since Momiji practically lived at his house and the former rabbit was always complaining that he wanted more blankets. Haru searched until he found a dark blue blanket that was silky on one side and soft and warm on the other. He brought it out to her and covered her up, taking the time to even tuck her in.

"I just need to get a few more things, alright?" He whispered, kissing her forehead.

"O-okay... I'm r-really s-" He put a finger over lips before she could finish.

"Don't be." He stood and grabbed her cup of tea. He went to the kitchen and dumped it out – it was getting cold anyways. He grabbed the tea kettle he had used earlier. It was still full of water which was slightly warm from his previous use of it. He added just a little bit more water and turned it on (its an electric kettle so it doesn't need to be on a stove). He carefully cleaned out her cup and made sure it was completely dry. He began digging through his dark oak cabinets until he found a plastic bag marked "Chamomile." He grabbed just enough of the dry herb for her tea and placed it in her cup, putting the bag back up. Yuki was known for growing his leeks, strawberries, and other types of food but little did everyone know that Haru actually grew herbs and a few berries himself. He found it relaxing... and it made him happy. His own hard work had created life – life to amazing herbs and berries that everyone loved.

As the water was getting warm he opened up his fridge and dug around through it until he found a plastic container that held a delicious looking red berry with green leaves. He pulled it out and opened it. He grabbed a bowl and dumped a few of his homegrown berries in it just as the tea kettle became to screech. He turned off the tea kettle and carefully poured some water into Tohru's cup. He hoped she wouldn't be too upset for him taking so long. He knew she wouldn't be upset at him, but she would be with herself – the girl didn't have a mean bone in her body.

While the herbs were mixing with the water, he went back to the red berries. He bit his lip in thought. Should he use chocolate or whipped cream? Which would Tohru like more? He decided on both – its a good combo isn't it? Girls like that, right? He poured some of melted chocolate into a pan so it would warm up. He turned his attention to the tea and stirred it a little and then got out a tea strainer. He got out all of the leaves in the tea and then put it back in her cup. He had just a pinch of mint and a bit of honey to make it sweet, making sure it mixed perfectly. He quickly went back to the chocolate and stirred it as well so it wouldn't stick to the bottom of the pan as it started to bubble.

He turned off the stove and grabbed the bowl of strawberries. He carefully dipped each one in so they were equally covered in chocolate. He wasn't an amazing cook or anything – not like Tohru – but he did know the basics. Once the strawberries were all covered in chocolate he let it harden, which didn't take more than just a minute or so. He laid the strawberries out on a long plate and sprayed the upward facing side with whipped cream. He admired his work for a minute and then did a quick speed clean, deciding he would thoroughly clean later. All that mattered right now was getting Tohru to smile and he had already taken plenty of time – no more could be wasted.

He held the plate of strawberries in one and the tea in the other. He carefully walked out as his head came up with awful scenarios of him tripping and dropping all of his hard work. He managed to make it though, and set everything down on the table. He looked over at Tohru who seemed to have calmed down a bit, though he face was still a mess.

"Hatsuharu... did you make that for me?" Tohru asked in awe, her voice a little hoarse.

"Yes." He gave a lopsided smile that made Tohru's heart do flip flops.

"T-thank you." She moved so that she could give a small bow. "I'm sorry that I made you go through so much trouble." She sniffled a bit.

"Tohru... you need to stop thinking like that. It wasn't any trouble at all. Now drink your tea." He said firmly.

Tohru blushed a bit, feeling like a small child. She fully sat up and grabbed her cup of tea. She brought the warm liquid to her lips and sipped it. The warmth of the drink was soothing to her dry, sore throat. The taste of it danced on her taste buds and lingered in her mouth.

"This tea is really good, Hatsuharu." She gave a shy smile.

"Thank you. It's Chamomile tea with a bit of mint and honey." He scooted over beside her.

"Oh, where did you get it?"

Haru blushed a bit. "I grow the plant myself."

Tohru blinked. "I didn't know you liked to garden."

He gave a small shrug. "Mainly herbs and berries."

"So these are strawberries you grew as well?"

"Yes..."

"That's really amazing." She whispered.

Haru turned even redder. "Thanks...its not that hard though. I have a lot of free time."

"I-I'm not being a burden am I? I... I can le-"

He thrust a strawberry to her lips to silence her. "Here. Eat it." He said softly.

Tohru met his eyes for a moment but quickly looked away, not wanting to think about their kiss. She knew if she did she would want to again... and she was sure he didn't want that. She had already come to terms with the fact that the kiss had been a mistake. He hadn't meant to kiss her... and he wasn't going to do it again. She overreacted when she had started crying as well – this was all proof! He had gone out of his way to make her feel better because she had made him feel guilty... and she hated that. She didn't want to risk him seeing her cut but it had taken all her strength to not start clawing at her arms. She needed that release... that control. It would just have to wait though.

Her gaze rested on his hand and the strawberry. She opened her mouth and bit into it. The juice mixed with chocolate and whipped cream as she chewed her bite and she absolutely loved it. She was going to have to cook him something extra special for doing all this. She opened her eyes that she hadn't realized she had closed.

"Is it good?" He asked.

"Very."

He seemed to have a great weight lift off his shoulders.

"Thank you. You really didn't have to do all this... I'll be sure to make you something really special in return. Is there anything specific you would like to have, Hatsuharu?"

Haru found that his heart was racing. His black side was once again wanting to come out. If he wasn't careful with his thoughts he was going to get a very noticeable erection.

"I would like for you to keep calling me Hatsuharu." He said with a slight smirk. _No... dammit. I will not go black at a time like this! I need to get it under control. She would blame it all on herself if I did... I can't let her do that to herself. She's a mess as it is... I can't add anymore problems..._

Tohru was a deep red. "Okay... I like calling you Hatsuharu." She gave a heartwarming smile. "But, I was talking about food..."

"I don't need any food... I did this to make you happy." He whispered, getting his alter ego under control.

She just stared at him wide eyed. No one ever went out of their way to make her happy. Ever. "W-why?"

"I couldn't bare to see you crying. It broke my heart... would you like to tell me why you were crying? I wouldn't push you if you don't want to tell me... I... I just want to make sure I didn't upset you because of the... kiss..." He blushed.

Tohru quickly looked away. "It... I... you... I'm sorry."

Haru frowned at her. "Why do you keep apologizing to me? I'm not sorry we kissed, Tohru. I enjoyed it – I won't lie to you. But I do need to know how you felt about it..."

Tohru forced her gaze on the floor, her cheeks hot. "Y-you..." She took a deep breath, unsure of what to say.

_He... he enjoyed the kiss? He actually enjoyed it? Then... then maybe I was wrong and he doesn't know about my cuts. If he did he wouldn't even want to be near me... I should leave..._

Tohru stood, setting her tea down. "I should leave."

Before she could actually take a step away from the couch, Haru grabbed her arm.

"Why?"

Tohru swallowed and just stared at the door.

"Tohru. Look at me." He turned her so that she was facing him.

She continued to avoid his gaze.

"Tohru... look me the eye. I don't bite." _Most of the time,_ His black side thought.

Tohru slowly met his eyes.

His were full of concern and worry for her. It was something she hadn't seen since her mother had passed away. She wanted to look away... she wanted to so bad, but she just couldn't. It was a rare thing for her to see. She felt so special, but selfish at the same time. Why was he worried about her? Could he not see what a monster she was?

Haru only found fear and worry in her eyes. At first he thought all of this was directed at his actions but as he thought it out he realized what she was really thinking and it broke his heart.

"Tohru, sit down please. Let me tell you something." He said softly.

Tohru nervously sat back down beside him, shaking a bit. She never once looked away from his eyes though.

Haru took her hand in his. "You know... everyone has a demon in their life – a darkness that follows them around everyday. Some have a bigger darkness than others. But _everyone _handles it differently." He looked down at her arms, studying her cuts. "And... I'm sorry I did not try to help you sooner. I knew what you had been doing... I knew..." He whispered, pain clear in his voice. "I knew and I did nothing. I am so sorry Tohru. I can _never _make that up to you. I thought... I thought maybe in time you would stop... that you just needed that little bit of time. So... I... I gave it to you. I should have stepped in." Tears started to fall down his cheeks. "During that small amount of time... you... you became so fragile... and... and I was scared I was going to break you into little pieces if I approached you wrong. I messed up. I should have said something. I should have helped you Tohru. I saw you struggle and I did nothing... nothing. I did _nothing _out of _fear!_ It was a selfish reason." He was actually crying now. "I'm so sorry Tohru.

"I know... I understand how it feels. And... and you are so sweet and kind – you've helped your friends and every Sohma. Yet, you are the one that suffers. I had no right to be afraid!" He slammed his fist down on the table. "None! I'm a horrible friend! Instead of trying to support you I watched silently from the shadows as you let yourself bleed!" His anger and hurt were beginning to come out. "I ask myself all the time... 'Why don't I step in now?' Because I'm stupid. That's why! I wish I could make it up to you Tohru... I would try to convince myself that you could see how I truly felt for you... that you would see it and stop torturing yourself – as if my feelings were enough for you to stop. Tohru... you've done nothing wrong. I have. I am the one who has screwed up. I've let you suffer alone... but... but not anymore. From now on you will have me by your side."

Tohru stared at him in shock. There was so much racing through her head. When he had first grabbed her arm she was about to pull it away from him – but then she started _really _listening to what he had to say. _He _was sorry? He had no reason to be sorry! It wasn't his fault she cut herself; it was her own fault. What did he mean he understood? He couldn't mean he... he couldn't mean that! Right? Why did he keep blaming himself? Sure she wanted someone to help her but it was just a selfish wish. And what feeling was he talking about? Had she hurt his feelings somehow? The most important thing on her mind though was that Sohma Hatsuharu was _crying_. The normally level headed white and black haired male was now crying in front of her... an act she never thought she would see. He didn't even cry when Kisa had bit him.

"Has-" She began.

Haru put a hand over her mouth. "Let me finish. I have more I should explain to you." He said gently, despite all his tears. "I understand what its like to feel alone, Tohru. I really do. It's how I knew what you were doing! It's why I should have helped sooner." Faster than she could blink he had discarded his pants. Tohru was in shock, confused at what he was doing; it also made her slightly uncomfortable (even if she had seen glimpses of them all naked from when they "poofed" back to their human form when they had been cursed). He let go of her arm and slid his left boxer side up a little. "Look." He whispered.

Tohru's eyes grew wide but she soon relaxed. _Haru would never do anything inappropriate to me. He is my friend and I trust him. _She leaned down a little and got closer to him so she could look at his inner thigh.

It was covered in scars of all sorts, and like he even had a few words. Some of the scars were light and slightly faded while others were still slightly rough looking. Tohru knew each cut was like ink on a paper. It was permanent and held some sort of meaning. She wondered what the stories were behind each cut... but she was also extremely upset with herself. Had she been so busy wallowing in self pity that she had noticed her own friend needed help? If she couldn't notice her friend suffering why did she deserve to have someone notice her suffering?

"Hatsuharu... I am _so _sorry. I... I didn't know. I'm so-" She was chocking on her own tears now.

Haru smoothed out his boxers and slid his pants back on. "Tohru... its not your fault. Most of these cuts were here before I even knew you. You couldn't have done anything. Do you remember when we met? It was a funny meeting but it changed me. When I was no longer black I seriously thought about everything you did. You were genuinely concerned for me and Kyo's well being. I loved Yuki... but it was never returned and it was more of an admiration than anything. Rin... I wanted to love her... but I never could. It's why I was so angry when we broke up the first time. I was angry because I _wasn't _angry. I didn't care that we broke up... and that made me so mad. I wanted to love her, I wanted to make myself love her. But I couldn't. So I cut and cut and cut. I cut to punish myself... to punish myself for not loving her.

"I heard everyone talk about how you made everyone realize they could love again – that it was possible! I thought for sure that if Rin couldn't make me love then no one could. But, I thought about you again. I thought about how you worried over me and Kyo's fight. How you worried over me when Kisa bit me. How you always worried about me, even if I was black. You cared about me when I was black. You never laughed at me or shunned me... you only made sure I was okay." He met her eyes once more; his were red from crying. "Tohru _you _saved me from my own self destruction." He whispered.

Tohru was at a loss for words. "Hatsuharu..." she whispered.

"Shh... it's okay. Tohru... you saved me. You really did. Now I want to save you. I know you think that you are alone and a freak. I know... I was the same way. But you're not! You are _not _alone! You are _not _a freak. It makes me so angry when I think about how everyone goes about their lives, oblivious to your cries. They call themselves 'friends' but they don't notice how bad your hurting. I know that hurts you even more but Tohru... I see. I see and I understand. The path you are on now is not one you want to keep going on. Let me help you... let me show how much I love you." He was practically begging her now.

Tohru jumped at the last part, eyes wide. "L-love me?"

* * *

_A/N: Hey guys! Eh, sorry it has taken me so long to update! I've been busy with school and all. Also... I have been building me a competitive battling team for Pokemon X and Y. Oh, and my best and only friend will be moving away this summer to go live with his boyfriend. So, yeah I've been kinda busy dealing with things. I was going to keep going with this chapter but I didn't want it to be so long that you guys got bored with it, ya know? I will let you all know one thing. I do plan on building this up so it's very happy... and then I plan to take it soaring down back to the earth. Just be prepared. _

_Now onto reviews and such! On this story I have had a total of 145 views and I am a bit happy about that. I wish I had 145 _re_views though :) I am happy with the ones I got though. Here are all the reviews I got in my email:_

_Roan (Guest): I NEED THIS TYPE OF READ! please continue! I'm not the type that got into things seriously but this is simply the most emotional thing i've read in years!_

_**Aw! Thanks! You have no idea how much that means to me! I decided to write this story because of my own experience with cutting. I plan on making this story an emotional roller coaster though, so I hope you are buckle up!**_

_Guest: :I want more. Can't wait to read about hatsuharu will do when he sees tohru's arms. I wanna c if and when someone else finds out._

_**Well, as you can see... Haru already knew about Tohru's arms. What did you think about his reaction, though? And I'm sure someone else will find out... I mean Haru has even said all secrets come out eventually. The question is... when will someone else find out and who will it be?**_

_ .75__: more_

**_Haha okay. Here is another update... I hope you liked it! I feel like it was a bit rushed myself... I will probably go back and edit it later... I guess it depends on what you and other readers think!_**

_Now onto other things. I would like to thank a few other people as well._

_**Well, as you can see... Haru already knew about Tohru's arms. What did you think about his reaction, though? And I'm sure someone else will find out... I mean Haru has even said all secrets come out eventually. The question is... when will someone else find out and who will it be? **_

_Now onto other things. I would like to thank a few other people as well_

_**Thank you **__** . **__** for favoriting my story. This made me ecstatic! Thank you a billion times and then some!**_

_**T**__**hank you **__**GothicEmoGirl95**__**, **__**Littlebitty11**__**, **__**Palladion.x**__**, and **__**Tori-Bird627**__** for adding this story to your alert list! It makes me jump over the moon and back knowing that you guys want to be alerted when I update this story. **_

_**And a very special thank you to **__**Aomari**__** who did both! You added my story to your favorites AND you added it to your alert list! Thank you so much! I really hope you are still enjoying it. If not, I can promise things get more interesting later on.**_

_**A very special thank you for **__** .75**__**! You went above and beyond. You have put me on your favorite authors list and your author alert list. You have also added this story to you story alert list and favorites list. You are an amazing person who has made me feel like a wonderful author. Thank you. **_

_**One final thank you to **__**otakuprincess4life**__** and **__**AnimeMangaFreak234**__** for adding me to you favorite author list and author alert. You guys are awesome!**_

_Hopefully my next update won't take to long but I have a lot of school stuff to do. I also need to update Sohma Love next, which will be my next task before I update this story. Don't forget to leave a review! Esprcially if you think you know what happens next or want to leave me an idea! _

_Love you guys~!_


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